A Tale Of The Previous
by The Conveniently Misplaced
Summary: This story is written by Lori and Shelby. More or less circulating around The Marauders, Lily, Snape and James attempt at showing Lily how much he loves her. Full of devious plots, loathing and a little bit of pity, this story, we hope, will please.
1. James Thomas Potter

Hello all, Just a quick note before we start this sure to be amazing fan fiction. This particular story will be a joint effort between myself, Lori, and my dearest friend, Shelby. We will be using those names, alas, so if you were expecting some extra cool, super fly computer names, we're sorry to disappoint. Anywho, this will be a story mainly focused around the Marauders, and James and Lily (and of course, a little Snape). We will mostly be writing alternating chapters, but if one of us has a brainstorm, we will post perhaps, more then one chapter at a time. So don't worry, if in the end one of us has written more then the other; that's okay. We will probably be discussing most of what happens in class anyway (what else would we be doing?) so we agree that no matter what, we will take joint credit; no more to either person.

Anywho, let's get this starting: Bearing in mind neither of us has actually written a fan fiction before!

* * *

James ruffled his rather untidy hair, to a point where if one were asked to describe it, the word "haystack" springs to mind. But, it seemed, that his hair was of no concern any of the other three teenager's who were sitting beside him, talking excitedly, to one another. They were a little different, these boys, seemingly normal teens, sitting in a carriage to themselves, on a rather red train headed to an extremely elite school. Hogwarts was it's name. And while I did say Hogwarts was an elite school, I do not, of course mean that it was one where academic achievements were noted, or to get in you needed a rather large stash of money. By elite, I mean simply only those with wizarding abilities were sent a letter asking their acceptance.

Now, one would of course assume this would be a large matter, and perhaps most of us would suppose that the topics of conversation would revolve around magical abilities, or perhaps spells, or maybe even broomsticks (one of the most popular means of transportation in the wizarding world). But, strangely enough, these boys were on a topic most 16 year old males somehow always end up on: Girls.

"I mean, I really don't think she likes me," said James, once again ruffling his hair, perhaps thinking that it had miraculously grown flat within the last few minutes. "And it's weird, I mean, I could ask any girl, _any girl_ and they'd go out with me in a heartbeat ! What's so different about _her_?". He slumped angrily back in his seat, obviously confused greatly with the aspect that not every single female would be willing hit with the bat-bogey hex just to be seen holding hands with him.

"Hmph, maybe she's just not your girl, mate" mused the boy sitting opposite of James. If one had been listening carefully to the words being exchanged within the carriage for the last hour or so, one would know that his friends had repeatedly called him "Padfoot".

"Or maybe, she's not just, what were the words? Oh yes 'any girl'" the boy called Moony grinned, looking up momentarily from a fairly large book that took up most of his lap. "Maybe you ought to know by now that Lily Evans doesn't seem inclined to be one either".

James, or rather "Prongs", frowned, annoyed by his friends answers. "Yes, well, that's all great and everything, but, what can I do about it. I mean, do you" and he said the last words very quietly, as if saying them at an audible level would make them true, "do you think she likes someone … _else_?"

"Well, she did hang around with _Snape_…" the rather smaller, and pudgy boy called Wormtail said, just as quietly.

Prongs actually reached for his wand. "Oh, what I couldn't do to him. It's bad enough he _exists_, but why on earth would he think he even stands a chance with her" he spat, looking angry at simply the mention of the other boy's name.

Padfoot growled. "I know what you mean" he said, seeming strained now to sit down. "Hey, has anyone actually seen Snape yet?" he asked, looking out the compartment window, as if the boy Snape would appear instantly when someone called his name.

"I haven't seen him, and I've been on prefect duty" Moony said, emphasizing the word "prefect".

"Yeah, well, doesn't mean he's not here, does it?"

Moony rolled his eyes at Padfoot.

"No, I suppose it doesn't. But it also doesn't mean you have to search him out…"

"Oh, don't let that Prefect badge weigh you down, I mean it's been a whole summer.." Prongs said excitedly, jumping up.

"Yeah," agreed Padfoot, getting up as well, drawing his wand. "And a rather boring one at that. Prongs and I only had ourselves to jinx, and that gets really boring after a while, considering we're both really predictable…"

"Yes, and… don't you remember what Snape called Lily at the end of last year?" Wormtail squeaked quietly.

The carriage fell silent at his words, even Prefect Moony's eyebrows knit together in anger.

"Yeah" said James quietly. "We haven't forgotten".

In true fact, this was one of the more prominent reasons James couldn't wait to return to school this year. While other students, had perhaps, complained about the work they'd been assigned over the holidays, or stressed about the results of their OWLs and NEWTs, he had on the other hand, been waiting, silently plotting on how best to get back at Snape, the one who had dared called Lily Evans, the smartest, funniest, most beautiful girl at Hogwarts _a mudblood_. And, even after she had attempted to help him. The slimeball, the little snot, he deserved it. If no one else did, he deserved it.

"Lets go," he hissed, opening the door of the carriage. Padfoot followed him eagerly, looking forward to causing a bit of trouble, any trouble.

Moony looked at his friends intently, then sighed. He had long ago concluded that once Prongs and Padfoot decided to do something (and this had obviously unsettled Prongs deeply, even if Padfoot was a little too blind to see it) there was nothing he could do to stop them. Even as the Prefect badge shined, intimidating, from his chest, he knew he couldn't hold then back. No amount of detentions had ever, or ever would concern them.

"Well, I have duties to attend to, if you'll excuse me" Moony said, at the very least hoping the tone made them feel bad enough not to kill Snape, then headed off in the opposite direction of where he assumed Snape was sitting, so as to avoid the conflict. Because he, even if he knew that they were breaking the rules, and even if he understood that as a prefect he should know better, he figured that even he wouldn't be able to resist firing a few hex's at Snape, just as pay back for what he did to Lily.

"I think I'd better stay here… and… umm… look after the trunks…" Wormtail squeaked his excuse, but there was no need, as Prongs and Padfoot had already left, slamming the door closed.

Padfoot was practically skipping down the train, grinning broadly as people waved to pair of them, or said hello. The Marauder's happened to have a little bit of a fan group, everyone (Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs) enjoyed their random sporadic practical-jokes, laughing loudly, and high-fiving them as they left the scene, while others (teachers, and Slytherins of course) got annoyed easily, and it had resulted that the four of them were split up as much as possible. Although, they seemed to give up, the teachers, after realizing it helped nothing. Prongs managed a strained smile at a few, otherwise trying to keep his temper down, at least a bit. He deserved this, Snape. But it didn't mean he had to kill the boy. Not yet anyway.. He wouldn't get expelled. Not for Snape. No, defiantly not for Snape.

"Ooooo there he is !" whispered Padfoot, pointing ahead, looking as if he had just received the World Quidditch Cup.

And sure enough, in the very last compartment, sitting alone and looking blankly out the window, was Severus Snape. His long hair had grown even longer, and it seemed, to have grown even greasier as well. His robes were on already, and looked to be the same ones he had worn for years, as the hem was much too short, and the snake representing Slytherin on his chest seemed faded.

"Welcome back, Snivellus" Prongs sneered, opening the door and holding up his wand, feeling Padfoot beside him do the same.

Snape had just pulled out his own when a voice yell to Prongs left, about 7 feet away,

"JAMES THOMAS POTTER, PUT DOWN THAT WAND !"

** Note, I know "Thomas" isn't James actual middle name, but I couldn't find his middle name, nor his father's first, so thus, for the use of this fanfiction; it's "Thomas".**


	2. A Shift In The Universe

_Erm, hello again, it's me Lori. Well Shelby (who has been nicknamed Houdini, and I Puff) is procrastinating, and insisted I continue, as she won't be able to post for a bit. (I think that she told me to because I was, err, rather persistent she post). Never the less, here it is.  
((Also, I would like to add that we are obviously not J.K. Rowling, nor do we own Harry Potter or anything else of that particular nature.))  
***_

Lily Evans looked at the duo with murder written in her eyes. She had changed over the summer, her usually long hair had grown even longer, and the customary lopsided ponytail had been disregarded, instead long red hair fell down to her waist in a gentle curl. Her robes looked new, as did a pendant, which shinned delicately in the light from the whirling windows. Her eyes seemed brighter then usual as well, but that could just be from the anger that seemed to be pouring out of them.

"What do you two _think you're doing_?" she demanded, eyes in such slits James wondered if she could even see anymore.

"Well," Padfoot said casually, his wand still pointed at the boy called Snape. "We _were_ planning to practice our jinx and hexes on this ugly git"-he shrugged his shoulders towards the boy at wand-point-"until you interrupted us. I suppose you'll want to stop us though..." He seemed impassive of the idea.

" 'I suppose you'll want to stop us' _of course I'm going to stop you. I'M A PREFECT" _Lily nearly shouted, her eyes flashing dangerously.

James Thomas Potter seemed appalled. "You can't honestly be standing up for this guy" he said, eyes wide, wand still pointed at Snape.

At this, Lily's face froze. She seemed to take a deep breath, and then, with her gaze still on the other two, she said in a wary voice to James "I'm a prefect. I don't pick and chose who or what I'm stopping". Her eyes glanced reluctantly over to the Slytherin boy, who had, if possible grown paler and more depressed looking in the last few minutes.

Prongs muttered something unintelligible under his breath, that sounded an awful lot like 'well, they can be exceptions, even for a prefect'.

"Be that as it may," she said quietly, catching James' words. "I've still got a job to do which means"-she seemed to be building more strength and authority-"you three have detention. I'd take some house points but…"She shrugged. "We haven't even reached the school."

Standing up straighter, and pulling some fallen strands of vibrant hair out of her face she managed to get them all to put away their wands and separate. Finally, heading off before Prongs and Padfoot could start to their cabin, Lily Evans gave a stiff nod and left.

"You know what, mate?" Padfoot said irritably as he and Prongs made for the cabin where Wormtail was eagerly awaiting the story. "If she wasn't your girl, I'd make sure she'd get a few surprises now and then…Detention… she's right too, haven't even arrived at school… and why didn't she just ignore us so we could go at it?" Muttering under his breath, Padfoot didn't notice the preoccupation with his companion, who was currently starring off in space, at his side.

Lily. It's amazing how one person, one being can just fill up your mind, James thought, her face before his eyes again. All summer he had dreamed of her, dreamed of being with her. Planned, plotted, reasoned and came to the same conclusion: he needed her. As clichéd and love-sick as that sounded, he just did. The other girls, the other inflations, were nothing. Just a diversion if you will. He wasn't even really considering any of them. They were passing memories, one fading to the other, none more unforgettable then the others. Like a series of grey.

"So, how'd it go?" asked an eager Wormtail as Prongs and Padfoot entered the Moony-less cabin.

"Horrible. Evans caught us. _And_ she gave us detention. But-" Padfoot's eyes opened wider. "-Mate, did you just realize you went a whole 5 minutes in Evans company, and you didn't _once_ ask her out?" He asked Prongs, seeming offensively shocked.

"Yeah, well, I kind of had my mind somewhere else with that scum Snape trying to hold me at wand point. The git. If he had tried and of that dark arts he's so fond of…" Prongs murmured eye brows coming together in anger.

_Why_ had she stopped him? She obviously still hated him; that much was clear. But one good hex and he'd have the little slimeball. One more minute… 60 seconds…

Shaking his head, as if to physically clear it, he turned towards the other boys and decided to have a perfectly Idiots-and-girl-free conversation. After buying what could only be half the snack trolley and settling in quite well, James felt almost completely at ease except for that darn, clichéd nagging voice in the back of his head. _Lily, Lily LILY_ it screamed irritably, and like any other person, he wanted to shout back at that damned clichéd voice that he _BLOODY WELL REMEMBERED LILY_, but given that when people yelled at their internal voice, most ended looking ridiculous or possibly even yelling out loud, he resisted. But barely.

"So," said a voice at the door of the carriage. "Detention without even making it to the school, that's got to be a record, even for you two" Remus Lupin muttered, moving Sirius's legs and sitting down across from James Potter.

Padfoot muttered something under his breath, which thankfully, no one seemed to catch, as it would appear what he had said would offend more then one person sitting next to him.

"It's a shame Evans caught you. Anyone else, 'cept the Slytherin prefects, mind, would have let you get on with it" murmured Wormtail frowning.

"Yeah, I guess," Prongs muttered eyebrows knitting together in frustration. He hated when his friends went at the girl of his dreams. It didn't really matter that much of course; they went at all the people who tried to stop them from having fun. Which, surprisingly, seemed to be a lot of people if you got down to it…

"Anyway, Lily seemed upset about it," Moony said slipping a chocolate frog out of his pocket and tearing off the package. "I don't know what you guys did, or if she was just still saddened by the fallout with Snape. Either way she didn't seem in any shape to talk. So I left her in her carriage with her friends." He cracked off a piece of the chocolate frogs head and slipped it into his mouth.

The conversation sort of died after Moony had finished. Each boy seemed to be deep in their own personal thoughts. Was Lily really all that interested in Snape? James thought desperately about how she always hung out with him. How she would sometimes even ditch her own girl friends for that grease-ball Slytherin. No one understood it. It was even talked about here and there. It wasn't really bad to have inter-house relationships, just a Slytherin and Gryffindor? It wasn't sane... It wasn't _normal_. There were many reasons why James was desperate for Lily. This just happened to be one of them, I mean there was a reason he always asking her out. And why she absolutely _hated_ him. There were hardly any moments she wasn't scowling, or yelling, or charging angrily in his direction-

"HEY!" Sirius shouted suddenly, making everyone else in the carriage jump at least a foot in the air.

"_What?_" Prongs asked rubbing his head where a bump was forming. In the fright of Padfoot's exclamation, the book Moony had held in his hands reading went flying in the air, landing promptly on Prongs's head.

"Sorry" Moony muttered to Prongs, grabbing his book off the ground and joined the other boys in looking at Padfoot.

Sirius, for his part, looked surprised, shocked, and overly happy. Which, most of us would consider perhaps bordlining insane. Who exclaims "HEY" at nothing, they goes looking into space like an excited loon? It was, conceivably, a look only his friends would not question. Instead they waited patiently for his brain to catch up with his outburst.

"Guess what I just realized?" Padfoot whispered excitedly nearly off his seat in enthusiasm.

"That you're a complete idiot who needs to _warn_ your friends before you start bursting out random comments" Prongs muttered just loud enough for Padfoot to hear.

Padfoot waved his hand in fashion that said simply "My sanity is nothing to question". Now of course, most people would point out this would be one of the main things that _should_ be questioned, but alas, it would once again seem that his friends were much too aware of his common sense (or lack there of) to query it.

"_No_" Sirius said rolling his eyes as if this was the most ridiculous thing he's ever heard. "I just realized that Evans didn't say one bad thing, roll her eyes, or cause physical, emotional, and/or physiological pain. And you two were with in meters of each other for at least 10 minutes".

Everyone starred first at Padfoot then at Prongs. Though the latter seemed dazed out.

This is intense, James thought. Sirius was right. Lily had in no way tried to harm James at any rate. This was huge. Had he not known it for himself, he would have thought it more likely for McGonagall to show up in a pink tutu and hand out freshly baked shortbread cookies, and insisting that Quidditch didn't matter in the least, and they shouldn't do homework. It was just… impossible.

"Right… So I think we can say that Lily Evans is no longer Lily Evans" Sirius stated, leaning back. "I'm willing to bet our dear Prongs here, managed to make her drink a love potion. And he's just _acting_ surprised so we don't ask him for the ingredients".

Moony rolled his eyes. "A love potion would make Lily in love with Prongs, not make her tolerate him".

"But… maybe she hated him so much, only the love potion wasn't strong enough she only got as far as not…completely loathing him?" Wormtail asked, his face scrunched up in concentration.

Padfoot laughed. "Know what Worm? That actually sounds about right. Or Evans had herself charmed because she knew that at some point Prongs here would go as far as poison her".

Prongs frowned as the boys around him were nearly rolling on the floor laughing. Mature, he thought. He wouldn't _force_ Lily's love upon him. He wouldn't go _that_ low. I mean, he'd much rather know that she actually liked him, then forcing himself on her. Plus, once the potion stopped, she'd kill him. Or at least hex him so that he wouldn't move or look the same again.

"I did _not_ potion the girl. Maybe she's finally realized she's as smitten with me as I with her. Maybe she's just building up to confess her love to me…" James muttered wistfully.

The other Marauder's stopped laughing at looked at him with concern. Then as one, they started laughing even harder then before.

"Thanks, guys," Prongs sniffed, crossing his arms and leaning back in his seat.

"Sorry, mate" Padfoot managed, grinning and wiping the tears from his face. "But, Evans, Lily Do-No-Wrong-Or-Show-Human-Emotions Evans, profess love to the guy she was willing to hex about 367 times last year? Sorry mate, you'd have more luck getting McGonagall in a tutu".

At the thought of their Transfiguration professor in a tutu, the other boys laughed once again at James expense. Grreeeaatt.

Suddenly the door to the carriage opened, revealing a rather harassed looking 5th year Hufflepuff prefect.

"We're about to arrive" she said breathlessly and closed the door once again. They saw her scramble to the next carriage through the glass window, to warn those people as well.

"Two Galleons she doesn't make it to the great hall" Padfoot murmured, grabbing the sweets he didn't eat and shoving them into the pockets of his robes.

"You know, it's harder then it looks," Moony said closing his book and standing up as well.

"Oh, yes, because telling people to sit down, or directing first-years to Hagrid is just so stressful-"

"-Obviously _you_ haven't told the Slytherins to stop hexing students. If you did you'd know-"

"Will you two quit it? I'm here trying to deal with a shift of the universe and _you_ both are inconsiderate enough to argue the challenges of being a _prefect_?!" Prongs stormed angrily.

Moony and Padfoot looked at Prongs then at each other. Then they started laughing. Again.

_Some friends I've got_ Prongs thought irritably. I mean seriously. With that he shoved the remaining acid pops in his pockets, and stormed out of the carriage into the bustling crowd of students preparing to get out. He nearly missed stepping on a first-year. Had they always been that _small_? Up more in the crowd he saw the unmistakable crown of red hair-

"Hey! Evans!" he shouted, trying to make his way through the mass.

"Go away, Potter!" he heard her voice ring, even though she didn't look around, he could just see the scowl on her face.

James grinned as a 7 year Slytherin tried to shove him out of the way. Same old Evans.


	3. The Longest Of Years

_Hello people of earth._

_Haha sci-fi enough?_

Anywho, I did this chapter quickly to make sure I don't lose all the viewers. Please review! This isn't that long, I know, but I just had to get SOMETHING up for you guys. Hope it's good enough !

_DISCLAMER: Chances are, if you recognize it, it belongs to the ever amazing J.K. Rowling. Or possibly Warner Brothers.  
---_

To be perfectly honest, as a non partial, third person point of view individual, James was, as they say, more big-headed then usual. As, it seemed, Lily's non-dismissal of the hopeless lovesick young man, did more to persuade him then to throw him off.

"You know," Padfoot muttered, looking at his friend a little concerned, "I reckon it's a good thing Evans _doesn't_ agree to go out with you. If you're this irritably joyous because she didn't turn you into a squid, I can't imagine what a date would do."

Moony snorted and rolled his eyes.

The great hall had become much more nosier as the sorting had finished, and the first years, who had entered the room frightened, it seemed, of what they would have to face, or whether or not they would live up to their parents expectations of what house they should be in, now seemed a rather cheerful crowd, nudging each other and pointing at random students, whispering in each other's ears.

"Now," said a powerfully loud, yet somehow soft, voice. "We have witnessed the sorting, and the sorted have witnessed us. I believe both the sorted and the sorting-watching deserve a full belly, as we often know how such a sorting can make ones stomach quite empty. So dig in the sorted, sorted-watchers and those who were so otherwise distracted, they hadn't noticed the sorting in the first place!"

The students laughed as Dumbledore sat down once more and the food, once again, appeared on the table in front of them.

Wormtail grabbed greedily for a chicken wing near his left elbow. Sirius, bored and ungracious, grabbed the chicken leg Wormtail had been reaching for. Wormtail then, in retaliation, knocked over Padfoot's goblet of pumpkin juice. Which caused Sirius to flick a spoonful of gravy at Peter's face, which Wormtail then got even with by mashing some peas pudding into Padfoot's arm, and Padfoot, unable to simply take having mushed vegetables smooshed in his arm, grabbed a handful of peas which he then threw at wormtail, to whom the small peas bounced off pathetically-

"Could you both, please, for the sake of my appetite stop acting like 3 year-olds, and discontinue playing with your food" Mary Macdonald stated plopping down next to Remus, so as to sit by Lily who had been, for the last 5 minutes, trying hopelessly to ignore her neighbor's eating habits.

Sirius, annoyed that they hadn't even gotten to wand-point, sulked on the bench and began eating food in a way that seemed he had not received a decent meal in a very, _very_ long time.

"You know," Mary said thoughtfully towards her best friend, "you'd think, heading into their 6th year at Hogwarts they would have matured, even just a little."

Lily looked up from the broccoli she had previously been inhaling and said thickly; "You put too much faith in them".

It was true. Since when had the Marauder's shown even the slightest inkling of hope that they might, perhaps improve both socially and maturely? None. There were no signs, no hope of progression, their juvenile minds and childish behavior would be forever shown through their aging physical shell.

Mary looked at her curiously, as if she knew something Lily didn't, something, like a grand scheme of the universe, as if she, Mary Kathy Macdonald could already map out a future Lily hadn't even considered.

"We'll see," she said cryptically.

Lily snorted. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well," Mary began, watching Lily's face for the reaction of her words. "You might find your mind's changed after a while. You might even find that _faith_ is one of the many qualities you'd find in them. Or, more specifically, one of them..."

"Here we go..."

"Seriously! I don't know Lily, there's just something there. Hey! Don't deny it! It's not just me. Everyone talks about you two. It sounds cheesy, but seriously, it's like... a link. Like some kind of ... being..."

Lily rolled her eyes as if her friend was going insane. "I _really_ don't know what kind of Seer you've been going to, or how much of that tacky book, what was it called? "The Witch and the Love Potion"? Whatever, I don't know how many sick love stories you've been reading, but nothing, _nothing_ could ever make me like James Potter!"

Mary frowned, but didn't seem put off.

On the other hand, neither did James Potter.

"Oh, for the love of Merlin's pants, some one slap him!" Sirius said dramatically, putting his head in his hands and moaning spectacularly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," James said wistfully, his eyes on the back of Lily's head, his mind somewhere else. A place I will not mention for the fear of ... err... younger viewers. And for those weak of stomach.

Peter, not noticing to the words exchanged, rather the fact that Padfoot was temporarily not paying attention, dived swiftly to receive the last piece of carrot cake, which was situated much too next to Padfoot's plate for anyone to dare risk grabbing it. And he nearly had it too, except for the fact that Sirius had reflexes that only a true Marauder could wish for; taking his hand away from his face he flicked his arm under Wormtail's, causing Peter's hand, and the cake with it, to smoosh in his face.

Remus Lupin however had one of those moments when you just look around at the chaos, and try to take it in. Wormtail was now retaliating against Padfoot with the pudding, Padfoot, for his part, had subtly taken out his wand and, as Remus was sure, placing some un-known jinx on Wormtail he would later refuse doing. And James was still staring at Lily's hair as if it were the most interesting thing in the world, and stretched out his finger's as if longing to touch it. Lily herself was completely oblivious, seeming in an argument with her friend, whom smiled wickedly at her squabble.

This was going to be a long year.


End file.
